If I Were You (Inside Out #1)

When Sara McMillan finds a bunch of journals in a storage unit she gets a lot more than she bargained for.  The erotic journals are written by a woman named Rebecca, the unit owner, and show a dark descent into BDSM.  By the time she is finished reading, Sara fears that she might not be alive. In her search for Rebecca she finds a brooding artist, an arrogant gallery owner, and no answers.

The first in a trilogy, the premise of "If I Were You" grabs you within the first few pages and sets up the moving journey of a strong, independent woman who heads into the world of BDSM to find answers.  Unfortunately most of the time when she reads the journal or has an inner dialogue, there are no italics, making understanding difficult. She is not your typical heroine and the intention may be to show growth from spineless to strong; however, the want of any kind of strength gives little reason to like Sara, or continue the journey. 

For 70% of the book, the plot disappears under the weight of Sara’s prevaricating between the owner and the artist, showcasing nothing but her severe lack of any type of conviction about anything but good art, Both men she meets are able to play and manipulate her like cooked spaghetti. In instance after instance she flip-flops between what she wants versus what she needs to do, and then acts in a spineless manner because she has no ability to make a choice based on her intelligence. And she is most definitely smart, and very intelligent, able to learn and understand.   

Julie York